Julian Sayin has been the talk of Ohio State football throughout the summer, and for good reason. On3’s J.D. PicKell went so far as to assert, “Julian Sayin is going to lead the Big Ten in passing in 2025.” Thanks to Ohio State’s loaded receiving corps and pass-happy system under Ryan Day and Brian Hartline. Even Nick Saban, who brought Sayin to Alabama before he retired, referred to him as “a really good young player” with elite judgment and touch.

Now with all this fuss circulating, you would think that Sayin would be out there leading the charge, speaking for Ohio State at all of the program’s biggest events, right? And the event is the Big 10 Media Days. This year, the event is being Vegas-fied, July 22-24, with the conference’s 18 teams descending on Sin City for three days of wall-to-wall coverage, interviews, and, of course, lots of hype for the upcoming season. And as always, the question is: who gets to speak for the scarlet and gray? Who gets to be the face—and the voice—of one of college football’s most legendary programs?

Shockingly, Julian Sayin won’t be there to represent the Buckeyes. This year, it’s a Buckeye headliner three-pack: Caleb Downs, Jeremiah Smith, and Sonny Styles, accompanying head coach Ryan Day to the podium. All three of these young men are coming off a monster season. For Ohio State, day one of media days is when the Buckeyes step into the spotlight. Sharing billing with Rutgers, Nebraska, Maryland, Indiana, and Illinois. But with all the talk over Ohio State’s quarterback situation, a lot of Buckeyes fans likely figured to see Julian Sayin, the much-praised signal-caller among the media day reps of the Buckeyes.

Sonny Styles is entering his senior year, and if you’ve seen him play, you know he’s a beast. Having made the move from safety to linebacker. He’s accumulated 162 tackles in 39 games and is coming off a season where he had 100 tackles, six sacks, and a few game-swinging plays. And then there’s Caleb Downs. He was a freshman All-American at Bama, but elevated it in Columbus to a unanimous All-American with 82 tackles, two interceptions, and a master of coming up with clutch stops. And you can’t leave out Jeremiah Smith.

As a sophomore, he’s fresh off the finest Buckeye freshman season by a wide receiver ever, setting records with 76 receptions, 1,315 receiving yards, and 15 touchdowns. And now, the elephant in the room. Media Days typically highlight veteran leaders and established stars, and Sayin, though talented, is new to the program and hasn’t yet made himself the face of the team. The Buckeyes are relying on experience and leadership for this event, allowing Sayin to focus on securing the starting job and preparing for the opening game of the season.

Julian Sayin is carrying the weight of Will Howard’s legacy

Julian Sayin came to Columbus with heaven-high expectations, a five-star pedigree, and the Buckeye Nation’s hopes hanging on his arm. But the shadow of Will Howard, the quarterback who just took OSU to a national championship, has been a difficult one to overcome. Howard was a physical beast, capable of taking hits, carrying the ball, and throwing it for more than 4,000 yards and 35 touchdowns last season. That’s the norm these days at Ohio State. So, when Sayin went out onto the field for spring drills, everything he did was analyzed.

Sayin exhibited the timely release, the accuracy, the poise—everything you would desire in a passer. But there was speculation about whether he had the pressure handling. But it’s not Sayin’s abilities—those are top-notch. It’s about his physicality and size. At 6’1″ and 195, Sayin stands considerably shorter than Howard and the recent crop of OSU quarterbacks. Even insiders such as Dan Hope have wondered, “I think this is the guy who has a great skill set as a passer. I think he’s got that really quick release, that strong arm, very good accuracy, and the ability to make all the throws on the field. I think the biggest question for Julian right now is that first game of the year; you’re playing against a really good Texas defensive line. How’s he gonna handle having the rush coming out of him in live action?”

And it’s not only about the quarterback. Offense coordinator Brian Hartline is also on the spot. He is handling play-calling responsibilities and is under pressure to make the Buckeye offense tick without the luxury of having a big-bodied QB to rely on for RPOs or QB runs. Everyone in the program is on the spot, saying most of all. The positive? Sayin’s got the arm, the IQ, and the swagger. The challenge? He needs to demonstrate that he can absorb the hits and keep the Buckeyes moving, even if he’s not as big as Howard.